Colon cleansing is important for maintaining good health, but not everybody understands its importance. Colon is situated at the end of the intestines. The intestines absorb most of the water form the digested food, but some water still remains. This remaining water along with potassium, salts and water soluble vitamins is absorbed by the colon.
Given its important role, it becomes imperative to detoxify it. Additionally, colon is home to many helpful bacteria, hence we need to avoid drugs and medications for colon detoxification to save these friendly bacteria. It is for this reason that we resort to home remedies.
Home Remedies For Colon Cleansing
Cleansing By Fasting
Fasting should be done for two or three days. It does not mean that you have to stay hungry, but instead you change your diet to raw vegetables and fruits on day one, liquid diet on day two and light meals on day three.
Beetroot, cabbage and carrots are a few of raw vegetables beneficial for fasting. They can be eaten raw or made into a juice. Apple and grapes are the best ones among fruits. Take herbal teas, fruit and vegetable juices on the day two of fasting. Fasting allows the toxins to get flushed out of your body; raw and liquid diet helps to stop a further build up of the toxins.
Drinking Water
Increased intake of water helps in easy passage of stool. Water facilitates the natural movement of waste through the intestines. So, when you decide to go for colon cleanse, drink plenty of lukewarm water.
Eat Substantial Amounts of Food
Eating enough of food is essential to help the colon to function properly. Either eat five to six small meals or eat at least three heavy meals if not more to keep your metabolism at a high level.
Exercise
Exercises increase your appetite and are an aid for digestion. Vigorous movements of the body help in allowing colon to clear naturally.
Eat Roughage
The fiber in the diet helps in the bowel movement by increasing the bulk of food in the intestines. So eat plenty of roughage like whole wheat cereals, fruits and salads. It is better to eat the whole fruits instead of drinking juices. The juices have much lesser fibers, so one misses out on roughage.
Psyllium
Psyllium husk, a mild laxative, is kept in many homes as an essential remedy for colon cleanse. Take 2 tbsp of this husk at night after the meals, followed by two glasses of water. Drinking of water is important, otherwise the result of this home remedy will be constipation. You may take it continuously only for three days. After that take a break and then resume.
Ginger
Ginger is used in day to day cooking in many parts of the world. It helps in the bowels movements. Its julienne can be eaten raw mixed with some lemon juice and salt, it can also be used in tea and its juice can be mixed with honey and taken. It is warm and strong in nature, hence a tsp of its juice could be enough in one go.
Epsom Salt
As per the Epsom Salt council, it is a natural colon cleanser. Epsom salt can be mixed with water and consumed twice a day. The package that you buy will have instructions for its use. It should be used sparingly, because the laxatives may disturb the natural balance of the electrolytes in the body.
Aloe Vera Juice
It is a very good colon cleanse juice. The gel can be scooped out from the leaf and used. A cup of fresh aloe vera gel can be put in the blender along with some citrus fruit juice.